Sewer-cleaning apparatus.



Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

J. KELLY. y SEWER CLEANING APPARATUS. AIPLIIMTIOIST FILED SEPT fn: N anus PETERS ca., WASHINGTON, D. c.

'Wrze/5.565

JOHN KELLY, OF JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWER-CLEAN ING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application led September 8, 1908. Serial No. 451,941.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residin at Jamaica Plain, in the county of Su olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sewer-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a speciication. f

This invention relates to improvements in sewer cleaning apparatus of that class in which a device is moved longitudinally with-` in the sewer by means of ropes, chains or the like connected to devices located in the manholes, and the object is to provide in an apparatus of the class described an expansible structure adapted to be adjusted to fit manholes of various sizes and adapted to be forcibly expanded to bear against opposite abutments within the manhole, to which structure the movable cleaning device is connected by suitable connections such as a rope and pulley.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a sewer and two manholes thereof showing my apparatus arranged therein, the apparatus being in elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail end elevation of the semi-cylindrical'yoke.'

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawing, 5 is a sewer pipe leading into two manholes 6, 6. In-the sewer pipe 5 is located a cleaning device 7 adapted to be moved longitudinally within the sewer pipe 5, said device being of any suitable or A desired construction. Within each of the within the sewer pipe at the orifice of which it is located, said'yoke having fast thereto an eye bolt l1 which passes therethrough and is secured by means of nuts 12. Connected to the eye bolt 11 is a pulley block 13 constituting a part of a tackle comprising a rope 14 secured to said block and passing through a block 15 connected to the cleaning device 7, thence back through the block 13 and thence upwardly through the opening of the manhole 6.

It will be understood that the tackle just referred to is preferably in duplicate, there being one connected to each end of the cleaning device 7.

The yoke 10 which may be made and preferably is semi-cylindrical in form, is connected by means of bolts 16, 16 to fiat rods or plates 17, 17 which are adapted to rest upon shelves 18,18, respectively, the upper faces of said shelves on which said rods rest lying in a plane located at approximately the height of the aXis of the sewer pipe 5. Each of the plates 17 is provided with a plurality of holes corresponding .to holes 19 formed in plates or rods 20, 2O also adapted to rest upon the shelves 18, 18, respectively, said plates or rods being secured to each other in pairs by means of bolts 21, 21 and bolts 22, 22 passing therethrough.

The plates 20, 2O are provided, respectively, with cylindrical shanks 23 23 having screw-threaded engagement with turn buckles 24, 24, said turn buckles also having screw-threaded engagement with rods 25, 25, it being understood that said turn buckles have right and left screw-threaded engagement with said rods and said shanks, respectively. The rods 25, 25 pass through the yoke 9 and are secured thereto by means of oppositely placed nuts 26 and 27 having screw-threaded engagement therewith. Check nuts 28 and 29 having screw-threaded engagement with the rods 25 and shanks 23, respectively, are adapted to be screwed against opposite ends, respectively, of the turn buckles 24 to lock said turn buckles against rotation.

When the expansible structure 8 is placed in the manhole it is first roughly adjusted to the proper size by removing the bolts 21 and 22 and properly placing the plates 17 and 20, after which said bolts are replaced in the ,proper holes, and secured therein. The turn buckles 24; are then rotated in the proper direction to force the yokes 9 and 10 in opposite directions, respectively, against opposite abutments in the manhole 6, thereby firmly securing the structure in place.

The apparatus having been installed, as seen in F ig. l, the cleaning device 7 may then be moved longitudinally through the sewer pipe by pulling on the two ropes 14 alternately. The yoke l0 is so constructed and arranged that the cleaning device 7 may be drawn thereunder into the space between said yoke and the yoke 9, after which said device may be emptied of collections of matter carried thereby.

If desired, I may provide a roll 30 journaled on the inner or under side of the yoke 10 to prevent chafing of the rope while reaving the same through the pulleys.

lt will be understood that the expansible structure S may be adjusted through a wide range of sizes to fit various sizes of manholes and when in place forms a perfectly rigid support or the pulley block 13.

ln some cases it may be desirable on account of the small size of the opening of the manhole to fold'the yoke l0 down between the side members of said structure and this may be done by removing the bolts 22, 22 and swinging said yoke between said members.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

l. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, a device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said device being horizontally expansible, whereby the same may be adjusted to bear against horizontally opposite abutments, respectively, within said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipe orifices, a device adapted to be placed inthe sewer pipe, and means operatively connecting said device, whereby said lastnamed device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer.

2. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, a device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said device comprising two relatively horizontally movable parts adapted to be adjusted to bear against horizontally opposite abutments, respectively, within said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipev orifices, means to hold said parts in iixed relation with each other, a device adapted to be placed in the sewer pipe, and means operatively connecting said devices, whereby said last-named device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer.

3. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, a device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said device comprising two relatively horizontally movable parts, means to force said parts against horizontally opposite sides, respectively, of said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipe orifices, a device adapted to be placed in the sewer pipe, and means operativelyconnecting said devices, whereby said last-named device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer;

4. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, a device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said device comprising two relatively horizontally movable parts, a screw adapted to move one of said parts relatively to the other to force said parts against horizontally opposite sides, respectively, of said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipe orifices, a device adapted to be placed in the sewer pipe, and means operatively connecting said devices, whereby said last-named device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer.

5. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, an eXpansible device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said device comprising two relatively horizontally movable parts adapted to be adjusted relatively to horizontally opposite sides, respectively, of said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipe orices, means to hold said parts in fixed relation with each other, a screw adapted to expand said device to cause the same to bear against opposite sides, respectively, of said manhole, a device adapted to be placed in the sewer pipe, and means operatively connecting said devices, whereby said last-named device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer.

6. An apparatus for cleaning sewers, having in combination, an expansible device adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, means to expand said device horizontally, whereby the same may be caused to bear against horizontally opposite sides, respectively, of said manhole adjacent to the sewer pipe orice, a device adapted to be placed in the sewer pipe, and means operatively connecting said devices, whereby said last-named device may be moved longitudinally within the sewer.

7. In an apparatus for cleaning sewers, a structure adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said structure comprising a device adapted to be placed against an abutment at one side of said manhole, a second device adapted to be placed against an abutment at the opposite side of said manhole, one of said devices being expansible, and means to independently expand the other of said devices to cause said devices to bear against said abutments, respectively.

8. In an apparatus for cleaning sewers, a structure adapted to be placed within a sewer manhole, said structure comprising a device adapted to be placed against an abutment at one side of said manhole, a second device adapted to be placed against an abutment at the opposite side of said manhole, one of said devices comprising two relatively movable parts, means to hold said parts in fixed relation with each other, and a nut having right and left hand screwthreaded connection with said devices, 1respectively, whereby said devices may be caused to bear against said abutments, respectively.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN KELLY. Witnesses:

LOUIS A. JONES, SAME V. MCCARTHY. 

